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Antenna Gain & Beamwidth Description
What Are Antenna Gain and Beamwidth?
Antenna gain and beamwidth are essential parameters in designing antennas for wireless systems. Together, they determine how focused and directional the signal transmission or reception is.
Antenna Gain
- Measures how much signal an antenna can direct compared to an isotropic radiator (ideal point source).
- Higher gain means more focused signal in one direction, improving range and signal strength.
- Calculated with:
G = η * (π * D / λ)^2
Beamwidth
- Defined as the angular width (in degrees) of the main lobe of the radiation pattern.
- Narrow beamwidths offer high directionality, ideal for long-distance or interference-sensitive applications.
- Approximated using:
θ ≈ 70 * (λ / D)
Where:
- G = Gain (linear, convert to dBi with 10 * log10(G))
- η = Efficiency (typically 0.5 to 0.7)
- D = Diameter of the antenna (m)
- λ = Wavelength (λ = c / f)
- f = Frequency in Hz
- c = Speed of light ≈ 3 × 108 m/s
Pro Tip: For best results, ensure your antenna's surface accuracy is better than λ/16 to avoid gain degradation.
Real-World Mini Case Studies
Case Study 1: Satellite Uplink (14 GHz, 1.2 m dish)
- Wavelength: λ = 0.0214 m
- Gain: G ≈ 4691 → G(dBi) ≈ 36.7
- Beamwidth: ≈ 1.25°
- Use: Geostationary satellite tracking with minimal adjacent satellite interference.
Case Study 2: Wi-Fi Backhaul (5.8 GHz, 0.3 m dish)
- Wavelength: λ = 0.0517 m
- Gain: G ≈ 190 → G(dBi) ≈ 22.8
- Beamwidth: ≈ 12.05°
- Use: Point-to-point wireless link between urban buildings with minimal interference.
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